Lee moved to Roseburg 30 years ago
and opened Put On Athletics, a full line athletics store, 8 years later.
He soon contacted every city in the state of Oregon, inquiring about skateparks
and how to go about getting one. Many years later, in the fall of
1997, he rounded up $3000 worth of skateboard industry donations and wooed
150 kids and 150 parents to a meeting about a skatepark in Roseburg.

There was a surge of interest
and the Umpqua Skaters Association was born. But the City of Roseburg
did not want a skatepark or even to encourage one. They didn't give
money or land to the Umpqua Skaters Association. U.S.A. searched
for alternate sources of finances and applied for several grants.
They received four. One from the Ford Family Foundation (a $50,000
matching grant), two from Douglas County and the Cal (spelling?) Creek
First Nation, each $17,500 to help match the Ford grant, and one from the
Chaney Foundation in Washington for $25,000 which has yet to be spent on
the beginners section and possible bmx additions.

Gene Dixon was President of the Umpqua
Skaters Association for a couple years and really drove the project home,
staying in contact with the county and the contractor, Longbreak, from
Sutherlin, who actually built the skatepark. The County donated equipment
use and people donated their time and together dug about $35,000 worth
of excavation for the skatepark's foundation. Eric Dawkins of Southern
Oregon fame, consulted with local skaters in designing the park.

When the park was mostly complete in March of 2000,
the Umpqua Skaters Association wanted to donate it to the city. I
haven't gotten the city's story yet, but it sounds like the city didn't
want to accept it and at some point tried to charge the U.S.A. $2500 for
a building permit. Ugh! The park is open for use, but it is
hopefully not complete. USA wants to add a beginners section and
possibly a bmx dirt track. The land is a 1/2 acre on lease from the
VA hospital -large red building in the backround of some photos.

The city has approved finishing the
park with the beginners section and there might room for the bmx track.

From I-5 take the Garden Valley Blvd exit #125
and go west. In about two blocks, you will see a Fred Meyers on the
left. Take a left (south) on Goetz St, which is the light at the
west end of Fred Meyers. You may also see a sign for Stewart Park.

I-5. Exit #125. Go west on Garden Valley
Blvd. Left at light on Goetz St.

Miscellaneous

Umpqua Skaters Association's President is
now Kay Buffum. You can contact U.S.A. at (541) 673-1414.